BY BILL STEWART

Staff Writer

Last season ended with a hamstring injury. This one began with a bout of pneumonia.

"But I feel fine physically," Messalonskee senior sprinter Erik Anderson said. "I'm getting better."

Results from the season-opening, six-team meet last Thursday at Lawrence High School suggest Anderson is, indeed, recovering nicely.

Anderson, a captain, won the 200-meter dash, the 100 and anchored the Eagles' victorious 4x100 relay team. He was also second in the long jump to Erskine's Robbie Morang.

"I told myself that I had to go out and work as hard as I could," Anderson said. "I knew I had to lead by example. I just went out there and did my best."

Anderson acknowledged, however, he didn't want to push himself too much.

"I felt if I went out full force it would make me more prone to staying sick," he said. "I didn't want that."

Anderson won the 200 with a time of 24.35 seconds. He ran the 100 in 11.69.

"I'll take that, for the first meet," Anderson said. "They're decent times."

• • •

The Winslow girls wasted no time showing off their depth and talent in the meet at Lawrence. The Black Raiders enjoyed a strong meet, particularly in the jumps.

Winslow took four of the top six places in the high jump, led by senior Christina Massey, who cleared 5 feet, 3 inches to win the event. Megan Pelletier (5-0), Kelsea Bouchard (4-8) and Christine Parrilli (4-6) followed.

Massey went on to win the long jump by leaping 15-10 while Bouchard and Pelletier finished first and second, respectively, in the triple jump.

So, are the jumps one of the team's top strengths this season?

"Big time," Winslow coach Shawn Carey said. "It was a real strong, strong start for us. It'll be an interesting season. We'll only get better."

• • •

One of the goals set by Cony senior Luke Fontaine is to qualify in the mile for the Nike Outdoor Nationals, scheduled for June 18-20 at the North Carolina A&T University in Greensboro, N.C.

Fontaine needs to finish the 1,600 in 4:19 to qualify for the event, which attracts some of the top track and field athletes across the country.

In a five-team meet in Lewiston, Fontaine won the 1,600 with a time of 4:31.21.

"I was pretty happy with it," he said. "I got behind two kids from Lewiston, which slowed me down a little. I thought I could've gone six or seven seconds even faster. I was pretty pleased. I want to get it down to the 4:19."

• • •

A pair of newcomers to the sport turned in some nice performances for Monmouth at the Lawrence meet. Junior Elliott Kahl won the triple jump with a leap of 36-6.5 and finished third in the 3,200 with a time of 11:57.24. Meanwhile, sophomore Andrea Pomerleau finished third in the 200 with a time of 30.71 and ninth in the 100 hurdles.

"Elliott had never done the triple jump before," Monmouth coach Tom Menendez said. "And Andrea's events were brand new for her, too. That was pretty exciting. Both are new to track and should be able to go out and improve."

Bill Stewart -- 623-3811, ext. 515

bstewart@centralmaine.com